Mixing question

Yea, been rocking Cubase since Sx3... I like Pro tools to but always go back to Cubase. If i was on OSX, i would use Logic or Pro Tools but im on PC so Cubase it is!
 
So im trying to mix @ -6 db, all the sounds show -6 db on individual channel and on master when played seperatly. But when i play them together the master increases by about 3 db... Whats up with that?
 
That, I believe is RMS which is the overall loudness of a tune. Sound is accumulative so everything adds up onto the master. When I start a tune I'll have my faders set to -16db and go from there and turn up my interface to compensate. As its much easier to turn up the gain at the end then have to mix everything down and find you have no headroom to play with.
 
I found this tut pretty good for working with vocals, he covers a lot actually..

 
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For basic mastering i've runned into the issues of the mastering plugin making everything as loud as possible in every single point of the track, so the intro is as high in volume as the drop :/. How do you solve this? Do you put a manual Volume adjustment post mastering?

Or are you meant to seperate each track and have individual mastering on each one?
 
duckstep said:
For basic mastering i've runned into the issues of the mastering plugin making everything as loud as possible in every single point of the track, so the intro is as high in volume as the drop :/. How do you solve this? Do you put a manual Volume adjustment post mastering?

Or are you meant to seperate each track and have individual mastering on each one?
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ok by the sounds of it you're looking way too deep into the technicals and not really much into the composition aspect at all. hm ok, you like netsky im guessing? we'll take this track as an example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItuF6EwW3C8

if you listen to the intro leading upto the drop, there is an absence of low end primarily, initially only drums and piano are playing. every 8/16 bars he'll introduce something new, whether its a pad of some fx or a vocal or whatever. then 16 bars before the drop itself the drums cut out and the tune mellows out alot, he does this so in 16 bars time when the drums and bass kick in, there is a huge change in overall volume, giving the drop impact. You dont need mastering plugins or volume automations to do this, just less stuff before the drop and more stuff after! Really dont get caught up in the production side too much. just get good samples, use your eq (thats the most important thing, i barely use compressors!) and if something needs fattening then fatten it. you're trying to be an artist at the end of the day.

listen to that tune or others you like, try and write down whats happening as the song plays out. Use the knowledge gained to aid your own arrangements. Just stop getting caught up in spectrum analysers, use your ears and have fun!

Hope I helped
 
Dom!Reavers! said:
ok by the sounds of it you're looking way too deep into the technicals and not really much into the composition aspect at all. hm ok, you like netsky im guessing? we'll take this track as an example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItuF6EwW3C8

if you listen to the intro leading upto the drop, there is an absence of low end primarily, initially only drums and piano are playing. every 8/16 bars he'll introduce something new, whether its a pad of some fx or a vocal or whatever. then 16 bars before the drop itself the drums cut out and the tune mellows out alot, he does this so in 16 bars time when the drums and bass kick in, there is a huge change in overall volume, giving the drop impact. You dont need mastering plugins or volume automations to do this, just less stuff before the drop and more stuff after! Really dont get caught up in the production side too much. just get good samples, use your eq (thats the most important thing, i barely use compressors!) and if something needs fattening then fatten it. you're trying to be an artist at the end of the day.

listen to that tune or others you like, try and write down whats happening as the song plays out. Use the knowledge gained to aid your own arrangements. Just stop getting caught up in spectrum analysers, use your ears and have fun!

Hope I helped
Click to expand...

This.

Mastering is best done by someone who wasnt involved in the production of the track. Best advice.... write the tune.... get the tune sounding roughly how you want it... dont dwell too much on EQing the drums or other parts of the track unless its absolutly necessary... then once its finished.... mix down each section as its own individual track.... ie.... mix down the drums seperately... the bass... the synths (mix down each synth sound seperate) etc etc...

this is then called the "mixing" stage.... here you will EQ each part... get the sounds sounding relevant with each other.... its also sometime a good idea to let someone else do this part too.... but if you dont know anyone who can help... thats fine....

Its this point that most record labels will be happy at hearing your tunes.... as all labels know that in the end of the day it will be mastered.....

If you are sending out tunes for the first time... it is sometimes best to actually get them mastered before sending out... i know this contradicts what i just said on the line before.... but sometimes its best to give labels the final product.... to grab their attention.... and to show what the potential really is.

Be prepared to fork out a bit of cash for a good master.


But as for mastering it yourself... some producers do it with good results... but from my experience... its best to leave it to a fresh pair of ears and a second opinion.
 
Ye i probarly am overthinking it, i just get pissed when i dont understand the logic systems but i need to drop that attitude because after all music is about creactivity.

Thanks for the responses.
 
How are others dealing with eqing/sidechaining breaks? Sitting and looking at my mix now and the breaks arent comming through and the only frequencys i could cut out for it would make the main instruments lame
 
You can do the mastering yourself, fresh ears when you've not been listening the tune for too long, and I think you know how you want it to sound, it's your track afterall, so I prefer you make your own mastering. Not saying others shouldn't do it, but you can manage it yourself too.
 
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